Gleeds Appointed to Support UK’s First SMR Project at Wylfa
- constructnetuk
- Mar 28
- 1 min read
Gleeds has been appointed to support Arup in delivering early-phase foundation engineering and design works for the UK’s first small modular reactors (SMRs) at Wylfa, located on the Isle of Anglesey in North Wales.
The landmark project has been commissioned by Great British Energy-Nuclear (GBE-N), the government-backed organisation responsible for advancing the next generation of nuclear power across the UK.
Once operational, the Wylfa development is expected to generate at least 1.4GW of low-carbon electricity—enough to power around three million homes—marking a major step forward in strengthening energy security and accelerating the UK’s transition to net zero.
Gleeds will provide programme delivery and cost engineering expertise during the early stages, working as part of a multidisciplinary team that includes LDA Design, TÜV SÜD Nuclear Technologies and Mace. The team will support GBE-N in optioneering, feasibility and the development of an integrated, site-specific concept design for the scheme.
The appointment builds on Gleeds’ ongoing involvement with GBE-N over the past two years, as well as its previous work on the Wylfa project. Early collaboration across programme, cost and engineering disciplines is expected to play a key role in driving efficient decision-making and successful project delivery.
The scheme also involves Rolls-Royce SMR as the preferred technology partner, highlighting the growing role of modular nuclear solutions in the UK’s future energy mix.
With site works expected to begin later this year, the project is set to deliver significant economic benefits for North Wales—supporting thousands of construction jobs and creating long-term opportunities across the nuclear supply chain.
